


Becoming Human

by Dreamin



Category: Sherlock (TV), Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M, Masturbation, Prompt Fill
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-10
Updated: 2018-05-02
Packaged: 2018-12-13 11:43:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 10,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11759133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamin/pseuds/Dreamin
Summary: Khan is a clone on the run from his creators at Baskerville. He turns to the one person who can help him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Filling a tumblr prompt from MizJoely: “I shouldn’t be in love with you.” This is dedicated to MizJoely.
> 
> I decided that with all of the stories where Molly is in Khan’s world, I should write one where Khan is in Molly’s world.

_10:35p Sherlock, there’s a story on the news about a dangerous fugitive on the loose. Molly_

_10:36p Yes, I know. NSY is asking me, John, and Mary to catch him. SH_

_10:38p But Sherlock, he looks just like you. Molly_

_10:39p Yes, no explanation. SH_

_10:41p Please be careful, all of you. Molly_

When he didn’t respond, Molly assumed he was too busy trying to figure out the fugitive’s next move. Sighing quietly, she went into the kitchen to make herself a cuppa, knowing she wouldn’t be able to sleep while her three best friends were trying to keep all of London safe. She heard a noise in the parlor and rolled her eyes. “Toby, behave!”

“It’s not Toby,” said a deep voice.

Molly looked up and gasped. Standing in the doorway was a man who could easily be Sherlock’s twin. Same face, same deep voice, same black hair, except that his was straight and the long fringe was falling in his eyes. This man was the same height as Sherlock but had a more muscular build, which his tight black shirt and trousers were doing nothing to hide. Same blue-green eyes, but this man’s eyes were ice cold.

She vaguely heard the sound of a teacup smashing on her kitchen floor, but it was hard to hear much of anything with the blood rushing in her ears. A sensible voice _(Get the phone! Call Sherlock!)_ cut through her panic and she tried to move past him but he blocked her path.

“Looking for this?” He held up her mobile. “Forgive me, Dr. Hooper, but I can’t have you contacting Sherlock just yet.” He dropped the phone on the floor then smashed it to bits with his boot.

Her eyes widened and she knew that he could do the same to her head. “You … you’re the man he’s looking for – John Harrison.”

The man rolled his eyes. “‘John Harrison’ is a fiction created by the people who made me. My real name, the name I chose for myself, is Khan Noonien Singh.”

“The people who made you? You mean your parents?” _This man is insane._

“The geneticists, Dr. Hooper.” Khan leaned against the counter and folded his arms in front of his chest. “The scientists who tinker with and tailor genes until they have the perfect soldier, spy, or anything else the government wants.”

“What, you’re saying they did something to your DNA?”

“No, I’m saying I’m a clone.”

“Of who?” She feared she already knew the answer.

“Sherlock Holmes.”

Molly shook her head in disbelief. “Human cloning isn’t possible. I mean, they’re still on animals and you expect me to believe you’re a clone of my best friend?”

“Baskerville is conducting the most advanced scientific research in Europe, if not the Northern Hemisphere.”

Molly remembered Sherlock and John telling her about their trip to Baskerville years ago. The stories of what went on there made her head spin. _If human cloning is being done, Baskerville would be the place._ Not knowing what else to do, she bent to pick up what was left of her phone and the teacup. When she had all the pieces, she threw them in the bin then turned back to Khan. “Okay, suppose for a minute that I believe you. Does Sherlock know you’re his clone?”

“No. After his only visit, one of the geneticists found some hairs he had left behind.”

“But that was only a few years ago. You’re full-grown.”

“Chronologically, I’m five years old – speeding up the aging process is child’s play for them.”

 _He aged over thirty years in less than five? His growth spurts must have been agonizing. Wait, when did I start believing him?_ “Why did you escape? And why would you come to me? You must have known Sherlock would be asked to look for you.”

“I’m Baskerville’s first successful clone, I want to shut the place down before they make another. To do that, I need Sherlock. If I went directly to him, he’d turn me in. The Watsons seem the type to shoot first and ask questions later. You’re the only one who was likely to listen.”

“And if I asked you to leave right now?”

“I would, but you won’t. You’re intrigued, Dr. Hooper, by my claims,” he moved well within her personal space then leaned to murmur in her ear, “not to mention the fact that I look exactly like the man you have lusted over for the past seven years.” Outraged, she tried to slap his face but he grabbed her wrist, smirking. “None of that, Dr. Hooper. I’ve come to you for help, after all.”

Molly glared at him. “How dare you? You break into my home, ask for my help, then you insult me?”

“I didn’t realize pointing out the truth was an insult."

She groaned in frustration then pushed him away. Khan did back up a few steps, presumably to humor her.

“I will not allow the monsters at Baskerville to create another slave,” he said firmly. “In those walls, I had nothing – no free will, no privacy, no legal rights. They could, and did, whatever they liked to me. I was about to be sold to the government in exchange for more money for research when I escaped. If they catch me, they will likely kill me then start over with another clone. Will you allow that, Dr. Hooper?”

 _He doesn’t seem to be lying. Of course, if he’s insane then he’d actually believe what he’s saying, so he wouldn’t be lying. But he seems perfectly rational._ She took a deep breath. “I know I’m deeply going to regret this, but no, I will not allow it.”

Khan grinned wickedly, an expression that utterly failed to comfort her. “Shall we begin?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plans are made.

“Begin what?” the petite woman in front of him asked.

Without a word, Khan yanked her to him and kissed her roughly. She tried to escape but his grip on her upper arms was firm. After another moment, he could feel her start to kiss him back. That lasted just a heartbeat before she stomped on his foot. The pain barely registered, so high was his pain tolerance, but Khan decided to comply with her wishes and let her go. He was pleased to see her dilated pupils and swollen lips.

“Don’t you ever, ever do that again!” Molly said, glaring at him.

Khan just smirked. “Believe me, little mouse, the next time I kiss you, I won’t have to steal it.”

“I’m not a mouse!”

“Oh, but you are,” he murmured, amused. _And I’m the cat._ “Small, adorable, and you squeak. But perhaps you are a tigress in bed? They say it’s always the quiet ones.”

“I’m not a mouse or a tigress,” she said weakly. “I’m just … me.” Molly took a deep breath. “I’ve changed my mind. I don’t care who you are or what your story is, I want you gone.”

“Because I stole a kiss?” Khan smiled knowingly. “Or, rather, I took a kiss that was freely offered.”

“It was stolen and you know it,” she said firmly. “I want you to leave, Khan.”

“Actually, don’t,” came a voice from the doorway that was identical to his own.

Both of them turned to see Sherlock Holmes standing there with Dr. John Watson next to him, the former army doctor’s gun pointed at Khan’s forehead. Out of the corner of his eye, Khan could see Mary Watson standing by the back door, the former assassin’s gun pointed at Khan’s heart.

“Don’t shoot!” Molly said quickly. She turned to Sherlock. “You need to talk to him, Sherlock. He’s making some very interesting claims.”

“I don’t care what he’s saying,” Sherlock said firmly, “he’s going back to prison.”

“That’s what they told you?” Khan asked, smirking.

“It’s all over the news,” Molly said. “They say you broke out of Exeter Prison.”

“I broke out of Baskerville. Technically, it’s an army base, but it was a prison to me.”

Sherlock and John stared at him.

Mary just raised an eyebrow. “I get the feeling it’s going to be a long night. Anyone else up for pizza?”

* * *

The five of them sat around Molly’s dining room table as Khan explained how he came to be. When Sherlock heard about the geneticists using his DNA without his permission, he went into a rant that lasted for several minutes. Khan took that time to eye the slice of pizza he was given warily.

“Haven’t you had pizza before?” Molly asked him softly, Sherlock now pacing around the dining room as he continued to rant.

“No.”

“What did they feed you?” Mary asked, curious.

“Supplements, mostly. Protein bars, fish oil pills, et cetera. I suspect some of them were tested on me before they went on the market.”

“A diet like that can’t be healthy,” John said. “People need real food.”

Khan eyed the pizza again. “I doubt this qualifies.”

“Just eat it,” Molly urged, smiling. “You’ll like it.”

He picked up the slice and took a tentative bite. “It’s … edible.”

She rolled her eyes. “Eat the whole thing then you can decide.”

Sherlock finally stopped ranting and sat down again. Mary shoved a piece of pizza at him, which he reluctantly ate.

“I assume your rant means you believe me,” Khan said.

“You look too much like me for us not to be related somehow,” Sherlock admitted, “I know all of my relatives, and Dr. Stapleton said they were researching human cloning at Baskerville. I was more interested in gigantic hounds at the time or I would have looked into it.”

Khan nodded. “She’s not one of the scientists who worked on me – she said she preferred subjects who don’t talk back.”

“Good to know,” Sherlock said.

“What, exactly, do you think we can do?” Mary asked.

“I want to drag Baskerville into the light,” Khan said. “I want the world to know what they’re doing.”

“You want to blow the lid off the most secretive lab in the UK?” John asked. “That’s a tall order.”

“It should be child’s play for you three.” Khan glanced at Molly. “Four.”

“You said you’re their first successful clone,” Molly said. “That means there were unsuccessful ones before you?”

Khan nodded. “Any clone who didn’t survive or were ‘defective.’ Baskerville’s garbage incinerator became a crematorium.”

She stared at him, horrified. “They’re human beings and they were just thrown away?”

A small part of him was touched at her sympathy but he quickly squelched that emotion. “People only have the rights that others are willing to give them.”

“The first thing we need to do,” Sherlock said, “is get Baskerville to call off the hounds. Molly, I’m going to need you to help me fake another death.”

“Right,” she agreed, then she turned to Khan, smiling a bit. “How long can you hold your breath?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sherlock insists that Khan stays with Molly. She doesn't take it well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, I'm back to my multi-chapter fics. Hope it was worth the wait!

“Do you really think you can fool them?” Khan asked dubiously.

They were still seated around Molly’s dining room table. She had managed to convince Khan to eat another slice of pizza after he had finished the first one. He avoided the bottled water that was in front of him, though.

“Of course,” Sherlock said. “It’s simple, really – we tell them John shot you, we show them your body, then we say we’ll dispose of it.”

“We won’t let them take you,” Molly said, smiling in an effort to reassure him.

Mary glanced at her watch. “We should be getting back, it’s almost Rosie’s bedtime.” Everyone rose and walked to the foyer.

“We need to figure out what to do with Khan before we stage his death,” John said. He looked at Sherlock. “We could put him in my old room at Baker Street.”

“If Lestrade showed up and saw him, it’ll ruin everything,” Sherlock said. “I think Khan should stay where he is.”

_Wait, what?_ “Don’t I get a say?” Molly asked, annoyed. “I didn’t exactly ask for a wanted fugitive hiding out in my flat.”

Sherlock turned to her. “You have space for him and no one would ever suspect you.” He smiled a bit. “You really are the perfect person to hide him, Molly. After all, you have experience.”

She ignored the intrigued expression on Khan’s face. “It’s a flat, not an inn for people who need a place to hide…” As soon as the words left her lips, she groaned quietly.

Sherlock smirked. “Since when?”

“Just go,” she muttered. “I’ll take care of him.”

The Watsons said their goodbyes then left. Sherlock stayed long enough to kiss Molly’s cheek then he followed them.

Khan followed Molly back to the kitchen, smirking. “I was wrong – it’s not lust, it’s love. And no wonder – he’s doing everything he can to manipulate you.”

She glared at him. “I’m not in love with Sherlock.” She started putting the dirty dishes in the dishwasher.

He leaned against the nearby counter. “Then we’re back to lust. I’ve read your blog – you want to shag him until neither of you can walk straight.”

She waited until she was done with the dishes before turning her glare on him. “One, I never wrote that and two, how in the hell are you even able to read my blog? It’s friends-only.”

“Allow me to jog your memory, Molly. ‘He’s so intelligent it’s like he’s burning. And he’s fit. Oh, he is really fit. And I can’t stop thinking about him.’ Sounds like lust to me. And as for ‘friends-only,’ passwords are easy to guess for one such as me.”

_Bastard couldn’t look more smug if he tried_. “I wrote that years ago, when I barely knew Sherlock. We’re friends now, it’s different.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You’re telling me you didn’t feel something when he kissed your cheek just now?”

“He’s. A. Friend.” She wanted to stamp her foot for emphasis but suspected it would make her seem childish.

Khan just smirked.

“I don’t know why I’m even trying to explain this to you,” she muttered. “You have no social skills whatsoever. You must have been raised in isolation.”

He shot her a look. “I was.”

“Then you’re going to need to develop some if you intend to be a productive part of society.”

Khan crossed his arms in front of his chest. “That is the last thing I want. Once Baskerville is exposed, I intend to build a house far from ‘civilization.’ The more I see of humanity, the more I am convinced that I want no part of it.”

She stared at him. “Now wait a minute. You saw the worst of humanity at Baskerville, yes, but you have to give the rest of us a chance.” She smiled a bit. “I promise, we’re not all bad.” _Wait, am I trying to get Khan to stay?_ She glanced at his bewildered expression. _He must be wondering the same thing._ “No one should be alone.”

“Even someone with no social skills?”

She rolled her eyes. “Those can be learned.” She sighed quietly, suddenly tired. “I’ll show you around then I’m going to bed.”

“It’s too early.”

“I’m exhausted and we have a lot to do tomorrow.”

Khan assessed her for a moment. “What did Sherlock mean about you have experience harboring fugitives?”

Molly sighed. “He likes to use my bedroom as a bolthole, starting with the night he faked his death.”

“Your bedroom?”

“Yes, my guestroom isn’t good enough for him, but it’s going to be good enough for you,” she said firmly. “It’s bad enough when one of my best friends regularly kicks me out of my own bed, I’ll be damned if I let a near-stranger do it too.”

Khan leaned to murmur in her ear, “Believe me, Molly Hooper, if I’m in your bed, you’ll be there with me.” He then had the gall to kiss her cheek and she definitely felt something.

_Bastard._


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Khan's first night of freedom.

Khan woke in the middle of the night with an incredible thirst. He got out of the too-small guest bed then pulled on his trousers and soundlessly walked to the kitchen. Not bothering to turn on the lights, he opened the refrigerator and looked for something to drink.

“If you’re looking for leftover pizza,” Molly said from the other side of the refrigerator door, “there isn’t any.” She turned on the lights.

Khan pulled out a container of orange juice then closed the door, glancing at her. “I know I didn’t wake you.”

“You didn’t,” she agreed, “I couldn’t sleep.” He took in her pastel blue kitten-patterned pajama bottoms and white t-shirt.

_I wonder if she’s aware her nipples are showing,_ he thought, smirking. “Does that happen often?” He brought the container to his lips.

“Hey!” she said, annoyed. “There are glasses in the cabinet behind you.”

Khan obediently took out a large glass then poured the juice and put the container back in the fridge. He looked at her expectantly as he drank the juice.

She sighed quietly. “Only when Sherlock involves me in a case. He rarely sleeps while he’s working. Consequentially, the rest of us lose sleep too.”

“So, it wasn’t the thought of having a strange man in your bed?” he asked, smirking.

“Guest bed,” she corrected him.

“For now.”

“Will you stop?” Molly asked, exasperated. “You and I are never going to sleep together.”

“Molly,” he murmured, lowering his voice an octave, “do you truly expect me to believe you’re not attracted to me?”

“Fine, yes, but only because you look like Sherlock,” she muttered, then her eyes widened. “Oh God, if you ever repeat that to anyone, I swear to God we won’t have to fake your death because I’ll kill you for real.” She rubbed her eyes with one hand. “God, I can’t believe I said that. I haven’t thought of Sherlock like that in years. Maybe I should go back to bed – obviously, I need more sleep.”

He grinned triumphantly. “I will take your secret to the grave. Now, about your attraction to me…” He lightly ran his fingers up her bare forearm and delighted in her shiver.

“Nothing’s going to come of it,” she said firmly. “I don’t care how attractive you are, I don’t sleep with men I just met.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You don’t sleep with men you’ve just met, you don’t sleep with men you’ve known for years, who do you sleep with, Dr. Hooper?”

She slapped him hard across the face. Well, as hard as a petite woman could. He barely felt the pain, but the insult hit home. Khan growled then grabbed her wrist before she could do it again. Her eyes widened but she made no other sign.

“You do not want me as an enemy, Molly,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “I am a violent and ruthless man.”

“I don’t doubt that,” she said, her voice calm, “but I also don’t think you would hurt an innocent woman who is only trying to help you.” She pulled her hand from his grasp. “If you would stop trying to get me into bed, this would be a lot easier.”

“You could stop resisting,” he murmured. “That would also make things easier.” He smirked. “Or should I say harder?”

As expected, she glanced down at his trousers and blushed at the growing bulge in the crotch. With apparently considerable effort, she brought her eyes back up to his. “Goodnight, Khan,” she said firmly.

He raised an eyebrow. “Not even a goodnight kiss?”

“You can kiss my arse.” With that, she turned around and left the room.

Khan smirked. _Oh, little Molly, that moment will come._

* * *

Molly’s dreams that night were a lot more erotic than she was used to and she woke the next morning to a body that was hyper-sensitive and in need of a release. _Bloody fucking hell…_ The devil on her shoulder told her to just accept what Khan was offering. _No, in that way lies madness. I just have to wait this out._

She got up and pulled on her robe then went down the hall to the kitchen and was surprised to find Khan already awake and balefully staring at the coffee maker. Despite the fact that her body was screaming at her to jump him, she ignored it in favor of smirking at him. “Am I interrupting something?”

“I’m one of the most intelligent men on the planet and I can’t figure out a simple machine. It’s maddening.” His lower lip stuck out the tiniest bit.

_Oh my God, is he pouting?_ Molly’s smirk spread to an ear-to-ear grin. “You’ve been bested by a Keurig?”

Khan turned his glare on her but she didn’t find it the least bit intimidating. _Not after he picked a fight with a Keurig and lost._ “Here, watch me.” She went through the steps, Khan watching her intently.

When he had a steaming cup of coffee in his hand, he looked over at her, smiling a bit. “Since you helped me, I ought to return the favor.”

Molly raised an eyebrow. “With what?”

“Did you really think I couldn’t smell your arousal as soon as you walked in?”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Khan explains why he's so focused on Molly.

Molly crossed her arms in front of her chest, a move that drew his attention to her breasts. She dropped her arms when she noticed where he was looking and glared at him. “Why are you obsessed with me, anyway? If it’s just because I’m the first available woman you’ve met outside of Baskerville, I swear I’m going to throw that coffee in your face.”

Khan chuckled as he sipped his coffee. “That would be a convenient excuse, wouldn’t it? No, my ‘obsession’ with you goes back further than that.”

She raised an eyebrow. “How much further?”

“Once I decided to escape Baskerville, I knew Sherlock would be the one person I could turn to. After his little break-in, they started a file on him and his known associates.” He reached out to tuck an errant lock of hair behind her ear. “You intrigued me, Molly Hooper – a beautiful, intelligent woman who lives alone and has not dated since her engagement ended last year. What am I to make of that?”

She shivered. “I’m almost afraid to ask.”

He leaned to murmur in her ear, “I think you are waiting for the right man. Fortunately for you, I am superior to every man on the planet.”

Molly raised an eyebrow. “So you say, but I have yet to see evidence of that.”

Khan smirked. “Is that a challenge?”

She rolled her eyes. “No, you’ve already lost.” She went to the fridge and started taking food out – eggs, cheese, ham, mushrooms, and tomatoes.

“What are you making?” he asked, curious.

“Omelets. I’d ask you what you want for breakfast but you haven’t had enough real food yet to have a preference.” She started cracking eggs into a bowl.

Khan leaned against the counter and watched as her small, delicate, but capable hands cracked, whisked, and flipped, turning the individual ingredients into a delicious-smelling whole. She was silent as she worked and he wondered what was on her mind. Khan smiled a bit. “I can’t imagine there’s a law against conversing while one cooks.”

She actually smiled at him. It was a little half-smile, but he’d take it. “Sorry, I’m used to being by myself while I cook.” Molly slid the finished omelet onto a plate and handed it to him. “Silverware’s in the drawer.”

Khan pulled a knife and fork out of the drawer then sat down at the peninsula and watched her start on her own omelet as he took his first bite. He nearly moaned, it was that good. “Delicious,” he declared.

Molly turned to grin at him, a full-fledged grin. “Thank you.” She turned back to the stove. “I was thinking of steaks for dinner. I get the feeling you’re a medium-rare man.”

He grinned. “If your steaks are nearly as good as this omelet, I’ll marry you for your cooking skills alone.”

Khan had never seen anyone turn around faster. He chuckled then continued eating.

* * *

_Marriage?! Who in the hell said anything about marriage?! Calm down, Margaret Anne_. She took a deep breath as she turned back to the stove. _He’s just yanking your chain, trying to get a reaction out of you._ Still, she couldn’t help wondering what it would be like to be married to someone like Khan. Consequentially, her omelet ended up a little burnt. She carried it over to the peninsula and ignored Khan’s smirk when he saw it.

“A bit distracted, were we?” he asked. “I wonder what, or rather who, was running through your mind.”

“Stuff it,” she muttered.

Khan just laughed.

They were almost done with breakfast when Molly’s mobile rang. She picked it up. “It’s Sherlock.” She pushed the button and brought the phone to her ear. “Hi, Sherlock.”

“Are both of you ready?” Sherlock asked, not bothering with a greeting.

Molly was used to that. “We’re still having breakfast. Give us another hour.”

“Is he behaving himself?”

“He hasn’t done anything I need my honorary brothers to avenge, if that’s what you mean, but he is flirting with me like mad.”

“Absolute waste of time,” Sherlock muttered.

Molly raised an eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Flirting – it’s a waste of everyone’s time. People beating around the bush when the direct approach would get everything out in the open and over with sooner.”

She rolled her eyes. “The next time you see The Woman, tell her that. And make sure someone is there to record her reaction, I want to see her hit you over the head with your assumptions before she turns you into a stammering, blushing fifteen-year-old with some master-level flirting.”

Sherlock huffed in annoyance. “An hour, Molly.” He hung up.

“Arse,” she muttered fondly as she put down her mobile and finished her omelet.

Khan raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t know Sherlock was still interested in Irene Adler.”

“She’s in his file too, huh? They’re in a mutual admiration society. I’m pretty sure she truly wants to get into his pants, it’s not just idle flirting on her part, while he would rather stick to verbal sparring.” Molly smiled a bit. “But I think she is wearing him down.”

He smirked. “So, if I flirt with you enough, will I wear you down too?”

The devil on her shoulder was what she blamed for what she said next. “Maybe.” She was willing to accept full responsibility for the smile she gave him, though.

Especially since the smile he gave her in return did interesting things to her insides.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Faking Khan's death is a group effort.

Khan lay on a slab in the morgue, watching with the aid of a hand mirror as Mary Watson put the finishing touches on the fake bullet wound on his chest, over his heart.

The former assassin smiled a bit. “It’s amazing what you can learn on YouTube.” She added a little more fake blood then admired her handiwork. “I much prefer this to the real thing.”

Sherlock rolled his eyes. “Is everyone ready?”

“What do we do if this doesn’t work?” John asked.

“Khan runs like hell,” Sherlock said, “while the rest of us are arrested for aiding and abetting.”

John looked at the “corpse.” “Best not screw up then.”

Khan rolled his eyes. “I’ll play my part to perfection.”

“Yes,” Mary said, smiling a bit, “all you have to do is lie still. I certainly hope you’re more lively in bed.”

He smirked. “You’re not the one who will find out.” He looked at Molly, his gaze heated.

Molly looked away, blushing.

Sherlock’s eyes narrowed. “That’s enough,” he said firmly. “I’m calling Lestrade.”

In the end, it didn’t take much to convince Lestrade that the infamous fugitive was dead. Maj. Barrymore and Dr. Williamson, the man Khan had said was in charge of the human cloning project, were not as easy, but after watching a video of Khan on the slab, they eventually accepted Sherlock’s story of Khan taking Molly and Mary hostage and being gunned down by John.

“We’ll gladly take him off your hands,” Dr. Williamson said. “He did, after all, agree to donate his body to science.”

“Oh, I think science can do without one more criminal’s corpse, don’t you?” Sherlock said, smiling a bit. “Bart’s has a crematorium, we’ll take care of it.”

The geneticist tried to push the issue but gave up when Lestrade started to question it. All parties involved agreed to let the body be cremated at Bart’s. As soon as Sherlock hung up, Khan took a deep breath then let it out slowly.

“What’s next?” John asked as Mary removed the fake wound.

“A John Doe about Khan’s size was cremated yesterday,” Molly said, “so we have cremains to present if anyone at Baskerville decides to follow up.”

“All of us need to make sure our routines don’t vary for the next few days,” Sherlock said. “Once things have died down, then we begin Baskerville’s downfall.”

* * *

As soon as they were back in Molly’s flat early that afternoon, Khan pulled her into his arms and kissed her hungrily. She responded almost instantly, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him back just as fervently. He reached for the buttons on her shirt and she broke the kiss, breathing heavily.

“No, Khan,” she murmured.

“You want me as much as I want you,” he murmured, his hands moving behind her to caress her back beneath her shirt. “Admit it, Molly.”

She rested her forehead against his chest. “I do but I’ve never had meaningless sex.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Who says it would be meaningless?”

She lifted her head to stare at him. “What?”

Khan chuckled. “Do you really think all I want from you is a quick shag? Did I not mention marrying you?”

“You also mentioned living away from civilization.”

“Yes, but not alone.” He raised a hand to stroke her cheek. “You, Molly Hooper, are the perfect woman for me – soft, vulnerable, intelligent, beautiful, and with a will of iron. Why should I not marry you?”

“How about the fact that we just met yesterday? Or the fact that since you have no legal rights, I can’t marry you anyway?”

Khan grinned – he knew an opening when he heard one. “So, you’re saying that after we expose Baskerville and I am granted all the rights of any natural-born human, you’ll marry me?”

“I’m not marrying you or anyone else,” she said firmly, pulling away from him. “Not without love.”

“Love is a fairytale. I’m talking about compatibility. You and I are infinitely compatible.”

“Somehow, I doubt that.”

“We are highly intelligent, passionate people who are willing to do whatever it takes when we or someone we care about is threatened.”

“You can say that about a lot of people,” Molly said, obviously unconvinced.

“If you want me to court you, I’ll do it.”

She raised an eyebrow. “’Court?’ This isn’t the Dark Ages.”

“Woo?”

“You’re not Shakespeare.”

Khan groaned in frustration. “Date, then.”

“Better, but I’m not interested in dating anyone right now.”

“If not now, then when?”

“How about when I’m not hiding another ‘dead’ man in my flat?”

He smirked. “So when everything is back to ‘normal?’”

“When everything is back to ‘normal,’ I’ll consider it.”

He grinned. “Good enough.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are heating up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you haven't noticed, the rating has gone up. Enjoy. ;)

_6:05p Feel like making it a Girls’ Night Out? John’s got Rosie. MW_

_6:08p Can’t, I have company tonight, remember? Molly_

_6:10p Worried he’ll paw your bras and panties? MW_

_6:13p Something like that. Molly_

_6:15p I think you can trust him. He only wants to get into your pants while you’re in them. MW_

_6:18p Thanks, Mary. Alright, I’ll make sure Mr. Too Damn Sexy is settled for the night. Molly_

_6:20p Pick you up in an hour. MW_

Molly sighed as she set her phone on her dresser then walked out of the bedroom and down the hall. She found Khan sprawled on the sitting room sofa, talking back to the television.

“You’re wasting your time, Brandon,” Khan muttered. “Marianne’s clearly in love with someone else.”

She smirked. “You know, when Sherlock’s arguing with the telly, he’s watching some crap talk show. At least you’re arguing with classic literature.”

Khan paused the movie then turned to her. “I thought I’d spare Col. Brandon the pain.”

Molly couldn’t help a smile. “That’s sweet of you but you know he gets-”

He held up a hand. “Please, I don’t know how it ends.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You haven’t seen or read _Sense and Sensibility_ before?”

Khan smiled a bit. “I’ve only been literate for four years, give me time.”

“I have it, if you want to read it.”

He looked a little surprised. “I’d like that … thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Um, Mary invited me to a Girls’ Night Out, so I’ll be out until pretty late.”

“Who will be there?”

“Me, Mary, probably Sally if she’s not busy, and Anthea if Mary can pry her away from work. Um, Sally is-”

“Sally Donovan, police sergeant, currently dating DI Lestrade. Anthea, real name classified, is Mycroft’s PA and fiancée.”

Molly rolled her eyes. “Is there anything the Baskerville files didn’t tell you?”

Khan stood then approached her in one fluid movement. The heat in his gaze made her feel warm all over.

“Yes – how good it feels to hold you,” he murmured as he pulled her into his arms, “how your kisses make me burn for more,” he lowered his head to kiss her softly, then he murmured in her ear, “how it will feel when I make you my own.”

She shivered. “Khan…” Molly smiled at him weakly. “You’re not playing fair, you know.”

Khan chuckled. “When it comes to what I want, you’ll find that I am not above fighting dirty.” He lowered his voice. “And there is nothing in this world I want more than you, Molly Hooper.”

* * *

After a cold shower necessitated by Khan’s words, Molly walked into the sitting room for the second time that evening, her high heels clicking on the hardwood floor. Khan looked up from _Emma_ and stared at her, his pupils dilating.

Molly grinned triumphantly. “That good, huh?” She did a slow spin to show off the little black dress.

Khan cleared his throat. “Molly … that dress is entirely too-”

“Sexy?” she asked, grinning wider. “Risqué? Provocative?”

“All of the above,” he said, looking and sounding rather helpless.

“Aww…” She leaned down to kiss his hair. “I promise it’s just for show – I’m not interested in picking up anyone at the pub, not when I have such a sexy man waiting for me at home.”

Khan was about to say something when her eyes drifted down to his trousers. His trousers, and the growing bulge in them. He chuckled weakly. “You’ll forgive me for not getting up.”

_Maybe I should just stay home and help him take care of that. I’m a doctor after all._ Molly smirked at Khan being able to draw out her naughty side. She was about to suggest it when her mobile chirped. Molly took it out of her purse and unlocked it. “That’s Mary, she’s outside.” She looked at him. “You’ll be alright by yourself?”

“I’ll be fine, Molly,” he assured her, then smirked. “And I won’t be as alone as you think, not with you in my head.”

Molly blushed brightly. “Um, right. I’ll see you when I get home, if you’re still up.”

His only reply was a wink.

She practically ran out of the flat, her cheeks flaming but still smiling like an idiot. _Oh God, he’s going to be thinking about me while he… Next time, I’m just going to pass on Mary’s offer._

* * *

She came back at almost three in the morning to a completely darkened flat. _Oh good, he went to bed._ She walked into the sitting room, turned on the light, and gasped.

Khan was laying on the sofa, naked and asleep. His trousers and shirt, borrowed from Sherlock, lay in a pile of wrinkles on the floor. One arm was hanging off the sofa, his other hand still loosely wrapped around his limp but still impressive cock. There were splatters of come on his stomach and chest, though she was happy to notice he hadn’t gotten it anywhere else. His face was serene as he slept.

Molly hated having to wake him but she hated even more the thought of anyone else seeing him like this. She knelt beside the sofa. _God, he really is magnificent._ “Khan?”

His eyes shot open and they widened when he saw her, then he looked down at himself and shut them again, muttering, “Bloody hell…”

Molly decided to go easy on him. “Don’t move.” She grabbed a soft flannel from the guest bathroom and wet it with warm water before taking it back to him.

Khan’s eyes were still closed and he startled a bit when the flannel touched his skin, his eyes shooting open again.

“It’s alright,” she murmured as she gently washed the come off.

“Molly…” For once, he looked like he was at a loss for words.

She smiled gently. “You want to apologize for masturbating in my sitting room, for falling asleep so I’d find you here, and for not cleaning yourself up?”

“That about covers it,” he muttered and she swore his cheeks were slightly pink.

She leaned to kiss him softly. “Next time,” she murmured, “wait until you’re in bed. Or the shower.”

“Molly,” he murmured, “the next time I come, it’ll be with you.”

It was her turn to blush but she wasn’t about to contradict him.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Khan talks about growing up at Baskerville.

Khan woke Sunday morning to the sound of purring. Opening his eyes, he found himself face-to-face with a ginger tabby sitting on the other pillow, who purred even louder when he saw Khan was awake. He groaned quietly. “You’re not the one I wanted to wake up to.”

His thoughts drifted to the night before. _It was reckless for me to fall asleep and leave myself vulnerable like that. Thank God Molly was understanding._ Remembering the feeling of her hands on his bare skin was enough to arouse him again.

A light knock on the door jarred him from his thoughts. He looked up and saw the door was ajar. _That explains how the cat got in._ Molly was peeking in.

Khan smiled a bit. “Come in, Molly.”

She opened the door all the way and came in, smiling apologetically. “Good morning. Sorry, I was looking for Toby and I saw your door was ajar.” She wore cherry-print pajamas and her hair was in a messy bun and Khan thought she never looked sexier.

Toby looked up when he heard his name and purred at her. Molly came over to the bed and picked him up. “He hid under my bed when you first came, he only left my room this morning. I think he had to adjust to your scent.”

Khan sat up, chuckling. “Yes, I probably smell different to him since I was raised in a laboratory.” He saw her eyes drift to his bare chest and he grinned. “We could continue where we left off last night.”

“We could,” Molly agreed. She carried the cat to the doorway and set him down in the hall then closed the door. “But I’d rather talk about your life in the lab.” She sat down on the bed, facing him.

“Sex is much more interesting.”

“Khan…”

He smirked at her as he leaned against the headboard. “Sit with me and I’ll tell you.”

She eyed his bare chest dubiously. “How do I know your intentions are honorable?”

He chuckled and pulled back the sheet, revealing his pajama bottoms. “Of course, it wouldn’t take long to remove them…”

“That’s not necessary,” she said and he was gratified to see her cheeks turning pink.

He spread his legs and she moved to sit between them, her back to him. She leaned against him as he wrapped his arms around her.

Khan sighed quietly, resting his chin on the top of her head. “The geneticists took Sherlock’s genes and manipulated them. They wanted someone stronger, smarter, more resilient. When they had the DNA the way they wanted it, it was easy for them to start growing the cells. I started out life in a petri dish, then an artificial womb.”

Molly shivered. “I’ve seen a photo of one of those, but it was for a fetal pig.”

“The technology was tested on pigs first, they’re good human analogues.”

She nodded. “Were you in there for nine months?”

“No, they had already started the accelerated aging. My gestation was three months. Many clones’ bodies couldn’t handle the rapid growth, even at that stage. Over a hundred of them died before they took their first breath. Dozens more died within a month after birth.”

“Why did you survive?”

“They were still trying to answer that question when I escaped. I was the only clone made from Sherlock’s DNA, perhaps there is something in his genes that enabled me to withstand everything they put me through.”

“Sherlock is a survivor,” she mused. “How fast did you age after you were born?”

“Seven times the normal rate. That stopped last month – the geneticists found a way to stop the accelerated aging when the subject is physically in their mid-thirties.”

“So you’re five years old and thirty-five at the same time?”

He chuckled a bit. “Yes, which makes me both older and younger than you.”

She laughed softly. “But as far as life experience goes…”

“I’m not even five years old. Until a few days ago, I had spent my entire existence behind Baskerville’s walls. I had no family, Molly, nor a single friend. I would read about people doing things I had never dreamed. I craved human contact. I’d ask every person who came to me dozens of questions. Most of them complained to Dr. Williamson. He forbade me from talking to anyone.”

She turned to stare at him. “My God…”

“After I escaped and made my way into town, being around so many people was overwhelming.” He lowered his head until his forehead touched hers, murmuring, “I much prefer this.”

Molly smiled at him softly. “This is nice, I’ll admit it.” She pulled back, her brow furrowing in confusion. “Khan … if you weren’t allowed contact with anyone, does that mean you’re a virgin?”

“Yes.” He kept his expression and tone neutral but inside, he was anxious about her reaction.

She smiled at him playfully. “You’re awfully confident in your ability for someone with no experience.”

He chuckled softly, relaxing. “I’ve done quite a lot of research.”

Molly laughed softly. “Well, that’s one way of putting it.”

Khan gazed at her. “Will you be my first and only lover, Molly Hooper?”

She gazed back. “When the time is right, yes.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Molly goes shopping for her new flatmate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special appearance by one of BC's recent outfits.

Molly walked into her flat. “Khan? I’m home.”

“Out here,” he called from the sitting room.

She set the shopping bags down by the door then walked into the sitting room. Khan was sitting on the sofa, Toby in his lap and her hardcover copy of _Sense and Sensibility_ in his hand.

He looked up at her and grinned, Toby getting down and leaving the room. “My lady returns.”

She grinned back as she sat next to him. “Hi. I got enough clothes for you to start with but you’ll have to try some of them on to make sure they fit.”

“I gave you my measurements.”

Molly rolled her eyes. “It didn’t help when I asked for your inseam and you just winked at me. Besides, the cut of the garment can- Ugh, never mind. Just humor me.”

He smirked at her, his eyes dancing. “If you insist.” Before she could say another word, he leaned forward and kissed her softly.

She kissed him back, sighing into his mouth. He pulled her into his lap, deepening the kiss as he wrapped his arms around her. Molly wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers toying with his hair.

“Is now the right time?” he murmured against her neck.

 _God, yes…_ But then her sensible side kicked in. “Not yet.” He raised his head to give her a glare that was all show, no heat and she just grinned at him. “I’ll tell you when it’s the right time.”

“I’m not a patient man, Molly,” he muttered.

“I know you’re not,” she said gently, raising a hand to stroke his cheek. “I’m hoping you’ll think I’m worth the wait anyway.”

He murmured, “I know you will be. I’m just … frustrated.”

She smiled a bit. “You think I’m not? I’ve seen you naked, if you recall. I know exactly what’s under those clothes.”

Khan chuckled. “I stand by my vow that I didn’t plan for you to see me like that.”

“And I believe you. I really want to see you like that again, to touch you, but it’s too soon. We need to know each other better first.”

“You already know everything worth knowing about me,” he muttered. “I haven’t had the time or the opportunity to do much.”

“Then let’s do something,” she said, moving off his lap and sitting next to him.

Khan raised an eyebrow at her. “Such as?”

Molly handed him the book. “We can read to each other. Your voice is so gorgeous, you could do audiobooks.”

He chuckled. “Are you trying to flatter me, Molly?”

She grinned. “Yes. Is it working?”

Instead of replying, he started reading aloud the first chapter.

* * *

Molly waited in the hallway as Khan tried on clothes in the guestroom. She kept wondering what to call him. _Boyfriend? Future lover? Significant other? Whatever, all I know is that he’s mine. The question is, am I ready to be his?_

Her thoughts were interrupted by the door opening. She looked into the room and grinned wide.

Khan stood there in a dark grey corduroy suit and a light grey Egyptian cotton tee. The suit was the softest corduroy she had ever felt and she knew the moment she saw it at the store that it would be perfect for him. She wasn’t wrong.

He smirked at her knowingly. “Do I meet with your approval?”

“Oh God, yes…” she blurted.

Khan chuckled. “Good.”

Molly moved closer then ran a hand down his arm. “This feels amazing on you. I could touch you all day.”

“I’ll remember that,” he murmured, grinning wickedly.

She grinned back happily. “Try on the jeans, I want to see how that arse looks in tight denim.”

“If you insist.” His hands went to the button on his trousers.

Molly rolled her eyes then left the room, closing the door behind her as Khan chuckled. While she waited on him, her mobile chirped.

_5:40p How’s your friend Cici? SH_

She stared at the text, confused. _I don’t know anyone named Cici. Oh, wait… The first cloned cat was named Carbon Copy, CC for short. He must be asking about Khan._

_5:43p Good. She actually made friends with Toby earlier. Molly_

_5:44p She’s made of stern stuff. Bring her to Baker St after work tomorrow, I’d love to meet her. SH_

_5:47p Are you sure that’s a good idea? She gets nervous on the Tube. Molly_

_5:48p Then take a cab. SH_

“Is that Sherlock?” Khan asked. She hadn’t heard him open the door.

She looked up from her mobile. “Yes. He wants us at Baker Street tomorrow.”

Khan raised an eyebrow. “He wants to risk me being seen in public?” He was wearing tight black jeans and the t-shirt.

“I get the feeling it’s a test – he wants to see if anyone’s still looking for you.” She looked him over, smiling a bit. “I was right, the jeans look good on you. Damn good.”

He smirked. “I’ll wear them tomorrow.”

“Right, leaving me to keep an eye out for anyone from Baskerville, or anyone wanting to jump your bones.”

He murmured in her ear, “You know I’ll only let you.”

_Let’s just hope I’ll be able to keep my hands to myself._


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Khan and Molly get personal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's some Tom-bashing in this chapter. He doesn't come out of this looking good at all.

After dinner that night, they watched _Mansfield Park_ together, his arm around her and her head on his shoulder. She sighed happily when it was over and Khan smiled a bit.

“Have you always been a romantic?” he asked softly.

Molly lifted her head to look at him, smiling. “Yes, for as long as I can remember. When I was little, I loved fairytale endings. I’m a lot more realistic now, but I still believe in soulmates.”

A voice in his head whispered, _Can two people be soulmates if one of them doesn’t have a soul?_ Khan ignored it.

“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked gently.

He raised an eyebrow. “Talk about what?”

“Whatever’s giving you that pensive look. And even if you don’t want to talk about that specifically, I’m sure you still have plenty of questions.”

“About?”

“Me, my life, being human.” She smiled a bit. “Sex. You said you weren’t allowed to ask questions at Baskerville, I’m giving you the chance to satisfy your curiosity.”

Khan chuckled. “I trust you’ll satisfy me in every way, Molly.”

She blushed, grinning. “You’re incorrigible.” There was a moment’s hesitation. “I can only hope you’re right.”

_I already know my first question._ He stood up then offered her his hand.

Molly took it and stood, looking at him curiously. “What?”

“If we are going to discuss very personal matters, shouldn’t that be in the bedroom?”

“Yours or mine?”

“Wherever you are most comfortable.”

“Mine.” She glanced at the clock then looked back at him. “Um, it’s a little early for bed, but I guess we should get in our pajamas anyway. Meet you in my room in fifteen?”

He nodded.

“This, um, this may be a long night,” she said, not meeting his eyes.

“Molly … I will never force you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable.”

She smiled weakly. “I know, Khan, but sometimes, being uncomfortable is part of being human.” She left the room.

Khan thought about what he knew of Molly’s love life as he changed in the guest room. _She dated Jim Moriarty for a time, before she knew what he truly was and who he was after. That must have affected her ability to trust people because she didn’t have a serious relationship again until after Sherlock faked his death. Her engagement to Tom ended shortly after the Watsons’ wedding. Sherlock was back by then, was he the cause?_ He clamped down on the flare of jealousy. _Whatever she felt for Sherlock before, she’s with me now._

The voice in his head was taunting him now. _But for how long? She doesn’t love you back. How can she love someone who’s not real? She’ll shag you to get Sherlock out of her system then she’ll move on and leave you with nothing._

Khan scowled. _Who says I love her?_

The voice was smug. _You can’t deny the truth forever._

He ignored the voice as he pulled his dressing gown on over his pajamas then went down the hall. Her bedroom door was closed so he knocked gently. “Molly?”

“Come on in,” she called out.

Khan found her sitting up in bed, leaning against the pillows. He could see she was wearing her cherry print pajamas, her hair loose around her shoulders. She smiled fondly when she saw him and in that moment, he knew the voice was right.

_What do I do now?_

* * *

Molly took in Khan’s pajamas and dressing gown. Part of her was glad he was covered, part of her wished he’d worn a little less. _Okay, a lot less. Bad Molly._ She smiled at him fondly. “It’s not fair, you know.”

He raised an eyebrow as he approached the bed then sat on the edge. “What’s not fair?”

“Your pajamas make you look like a _GQ_ cover model, while I’m sure mine make me look about twelve. Maybe I should get something a little more grown up.” _I think that teddy I wore for Tom is around here somewhere… No, absolutely not. If I wear something sexy for Khan, it’ll be something new._

“You should wear whatever you want. And for the record, I don’t think you look twelve, I think you look like exactly what you are – a beautiful woman who likes colorful clothes.”

She smiled shyly. “Thank you.” She looked at the distance between the two of them then pulled back the duvet and sheet next to her. “I, um, could you move closer? Some of the things I want to tell you are … difficult for me to talk about and, well, I feel so comfortable in your arms.”

Khan grinned at her then he took off his dressing gown before climbing into bed beside her. Molly envied the gracefulness of even the simplest of his movements. _What would it feel like to dance with him? Oh, who am I kidding? What will it feel like to have sex with him?_

He pulled her close and leaned against the pillows. She laid her head on his chest, rubbing her cheek against the silk of his pajama top.

“Why do you have doubts about being able to satisfy me?” he asked softly.

She sighed quietly. “Nothing like starting with the hard questions. One of my past lovers said I wasn’t passionate or imaginative enough in bed.”

“Moriarty?” he guessed.

“Oh God,” she groaned quietly. “Do you know my entire life story?”

“Only since you became friends with Sherlock. Baskerville’s file on you didn’t cover anything before that except the basics.”

“Right… I hate to admit it, but Jim was the best lover I’ve ever had. We only had sex once, then I found out he was using me to get close to Sherlock. Looking back, I’m sure he was pretending to be the ideal boyfriend so I wouldn’t suspect anything. He couldn’t have actually cared about me. After Jim, I went on a few bad blind dates but I didn’t sleep with any of them.”

“You were in love with Sherlock but he wasn’t interested.”

_He’s still on that?_ She lifted her head to look up at him. “Khan, please, stop. I’m not in love with Sherlock. I never was. Yes, I fancied him at first, but that didn’t last. He’s one of my best friends. Yes, he’s attractive, but he’s not the one I want, you are.” She kissed him softly. “I didn’t sleep with those men because I don’t have sex on the first date and none of them were worth a second one.”

He gazed at her. “Forgive me, Molly.”

“You’re forgiven. If you know about Moriarty, then I assume you know about Tom.” At his nod, she continued. “He was nice. And yes, he looked like Sherlock, vaguely.” She smiled a bit. “I have a type, okay?”

Khan chuckled. “I’m grateful for that.”

She softly kissed his cheek. “Anyway, Tom wasn’t gifted intellectually. He bored me quite often but I thought that would change in time, when we had more interests in common.”

“And sexually?”

Molly sighed quietly. “He would say I wasn’t doing enough to turn him on. I did everything I could to please him, even things that made me uncomfortable, but it wasn’t enough for him.”

Khan raised an eyebrow. “Did he at least have the decency return the courtesy?” The warning tone in his voice told her that he was going to hunt the man down if she said no.

Still, she couldn’t lie. She looked down at her hands. “He, um, he went down on me once.”

“Just once?”

“He said he didn’t like it.”

He gently took her hands and she looked up at him. “Was he any better with his hands?”

“Adequate, more or less.”

“It sounds like the problem was that he didn’t arouse you enough.” He looked ready to hurt the man.

“Probably, but don’t go looking for him. He hooked up with some woman he met at John and Mary’s wedding. Last I heard, they were getting married. She looks like a centerfold, I guess that’s more his type.”

“He’s a fool,” Khan said firmly. He raised one hand to stroke her cheek. “You are a beautiful and incredibly sexy woman, Molly Hooper. I have no doubt we will please each other in every way.”

She could feel tears in her eyes but she kept her gaze on his. “Khan … thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He kissed her softly. “Never think on him again. He doesn’t matter.”

Molly smiled weakly. “You’re right.” She wiped her eyes with a tissue from the box on the nightstand. “So, what else do you want to know?”


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Questions and a test.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the long wait, my brain was going in every direction but this one.
> 
> This chapter starts immediately after ch 10.

“So, what else do you want to know?”

_Anything. Everything. Whatever you’re willing to tell me._ So many questions then ran through his mind that he had a hard time settling on just one. Finally, he settled on the one that he most wanted answered. “What does love feel like?”

If she was surprised at his question, she didn’t show it. Instead, she smiled gently. “Believe it or not, that’s something everyone wants to know before they feel it themselves. There isn’t one definite answer, love feels different for everyone. You won’t know until you’re in it.”

“What does it feel like for you?”

“To be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever truly been in love. I’ve fancied, I’ve liked, I’ve lusted, but love? Real, honest, selfless love? It hasn’t happened yet.”

Khan could feel his heart sink. _She doesn’t love me. But then how could she? She’s only known me for three days. But still, I would think she felt something._

Molly smiled at him fondly. “Promise me you’ll never play poker.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

“Your emotions are all over your face right now.” She took his hand and squeezed it gently. “I like you, Khan. A lot. I’m drawn to you like I’ve never been drawn to anyone. Like a moth to a flame.”

“And you fear I’ll burn you?”

She nodded. “I know you’d never hurt me intentionally, but, well, things happen.”

“You think I’m going to leave you.”

“I think the universe will pull us apart.”

“I won’t let it,” he said firmly. “You must promise me that you won’t let it either.”

“Khan…”

“I love you.” He said the words quickly, he couldn’t hold them back any longer.

She shook her head in disbelief. “You just said you didn’t know what it felt like.”

“It’s not that I didn’t know – I wanted confirmation. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, however long that is. I want to take you in my arms and make love to you for hours. I want to tell the world that you belong to me and I belong to you. Is that not love?”

Molly stared at him. “That’s … um … that’s one definition, yes.”

He grinned at her. _Now I must wait for you to feel the same._

* * *

Molly woke to arms wrapped around her from behind and her back pressing against a firm chest. She sighed softly, remembering how she had offered him a chance to stay. _At least he’s a gentleman._

After a moment, soft lips nuzzled her neck and she let out a low moan.

“Good morning,” he murmured against her skin.

“Good morning, Khan,” she murmured.

One hand moved up to stroke her jaw. “Wouldn’t it be nice to wake up like this every morning?”

“It would,” she agreed, “but it would also greatly increase the chance of me jumping you.”

Khan chuckled, the deep, rich sound going straight to her core. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

She slowly turned in his arms to face him. “It’s not bad, I just… You told me how you feel and it would be wrong for me to be with you until I feel the same.”

He gazed at her for a moment then murmured, “You are a remarkable woman, Molly Hooper. Very well, we’ll wait,” there was a wicked glint in his eyes, “but I refuse to stop kissing you.”

“I can live with that,” she said, grinning.

She reluctantly left Khan to go to work an hour later, the thought of the slight pout on his gorgeous lips making her smile through her entire commute. Thankfully, there were no autopsies that day, just meetings and paperwork. It was just as well – she couldn’t go more than ten minutes without thinking about her almost-lover.

The end of her shift finally came and Molly was walking out of Bart’s front doors when she spotted a very familiar figure waiting a few yards away. The smile that spread across his perfect face did little to affect her annoyance.

Molly marched over to him and murmured, “What the hell are you doing here? You were supposed to wait for me.”

Khan murmured, “I was tired of waiting.” He offered her his arm.

“In other words, you were bored,” she said, taking it and leading him to the curb. “Aversion to boredom is in your DNA, I should’ve realized it sooner.”

Khan hailed a cab then helped her into it before climbing in himself. “Every highly intelligent person is averse to boredom.”

“Well, as long as you don’t start shooting the wall…”

He smirked. “No promises.”

* * *

Khan watched from the sofa as his progenitor and the love of his life argued. He couldn’t keep the amused smile off his face and he was glad Molly hadn’t given him more than a passing glance once the argument started – he didn’t think she found the debate as amusing as he did.

“What if someone recognized him?” she asked Sherlock, her arms crossed in front of her chest.

“They’d think he was me,” Sherlock said. “He’s me with straight hair.”

“And twenty pounds of muscle,” Molly added.

“I would have said fifteen, but you’ve seen more of him than I,” he drawled.

Khan’s smile faded in an instant. _Sherlock wouldn’t dare to insult Molly, especially in front of me, would he?_ One glance at his girlfriend told him she was thinking the same thing.

“And what the hell is that supposed to mean, Sherlock?” she demanded.

“Please,” Sherlock scoffed. “Do you think I can’t tell you’re shagging? All the signs are there. I suppose I should be flattered – he is my clone, after all.”

“What?” Molly asked, almost as shocked as she was angry.

“I suppose you’ll tire of him once you’ve gotten me out of your system.”

She looked ready to slap the man but all she did was turn and grab her bag. “Khan, we’re leaving.”

Khan immediately rose then followed her out of the flat. Neither of them said anything on the way back to her place. As soon as they walked in, Molly set her bag down then stormed into the kitchen and started making dinner, banging as many pots, pans, and cabinet doors as she could.

He took a moment to feed a protesting Toby then leaned against the counter, watching her. “Is it possible Sherlock is jealous?”

Molly took a deep breath then looked up at him. “Oh, he’s jealous, but not in a romantic sense. He’s jealous of anything, or anyone, that takes my attention away from him for too long.” She turned back to chopping up vegetables. “He’s a child and I wish he’d just grow the hell up.”

Khan smirked. “I can deal with his childishness if it means he’s not a rival for your affections.”

Her dazzling smile was all the reassurance he needed.


End file.
